Sark, Channel Islands

Sark Itinerary August 22-25

Never heard of Sark (or Sercq, as the French say)? You are probably not alone. Most people, even those living in France or the UK, have never heard of this small island in the English Channel off the Normandy coast. Although it boasts a status of 4th largest island in the Channel Islands, it is only about 2.1 square miles, with a year-rounds population of just 600.

Sark draws visitors not just for its geography and its landscapes: it’s a relatively flat island, once you’re there, but first you have to scale (by tractor-bus most likely, not by foot) the steep cliffs that rise from the often rough seas below. Sark intrigues its relatively few annual visitors with its prohibition on cars; you’ll see only bikes, horse-drawn carriages, authorized tractors, and of course foot traffic. It is a designated Dark Sky Community (there are no streetlights!), a stargazer’s paradise. And last but not least, Sark also has a unique history and modern-day form of government: the island is a fiefdom, led by a Seigneur, and it has its own parliament and laws based in Norman Law. It’s a bit confusing—I’m still not 100% clear on Sark’s status. It’s an independent state yet part of the UK. It’s considered Europe’s last feudal state and yet it’s more or less a democracy. What is certain is that all of these contradictions and twists of history make it a fascinating place.

Despite being a remote civilization in so many ways, Sark has a number of fine dining options and several very high-end hotels (with credit or blame—a very controversial topic—owed to the Barclay Brothers whose claim to fame is a net worth of U.S.$3.7 billion: http://www.bornrich.com/david-frederick-barclay.html.

You can find the official visitor’s guide to Sark here: http://www.sark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Sark-Brochure- 2014_Download.pdf.

We used Saint-Malo, Brittany, as our jumping off point for Sark. I highly recommend a visit to this beautiful walled city, almost entirely yet very tastefully rebuilt after extensive WWII bombing, either separately or in conjunction with a visit to Sark.

Date To Flight/Hotel/Car Details Cost Comments Friday, Paris-CDG Mom arrives CDG @ Car: $160.48 Lunch in Honfleur; stop in Saint-Suliac August to Saint- 9:25am on Air France (for 10 days, I was already in France and met my mom who flew nd 22 Malo www.autoeurop in to Paris on the 22 . We repeated our 1999 route Rental car: Europcar from e.com) and had lunch in the beautiful port town of Honfleur (http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/articles/honfleur- Gare de Lyon (August st Note that 278-2.html), which also makes a great day trip from 21 ) autoeurope.com Paris if the traffic cooperates, then stopped for just a seems to always short walk and a few photos in the charming Plus Hotel in Saint-Malo: give the best Beaux Villages de France’s Saint-Suliac HOTEL QUIC EN rental car prices. (http://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de- GROIGNE Just be careful france.org/en/saint-suliac), just a few km south of 8, rue d'Estrées - Intra as lately there’s Saint-Malo. Muros often a glitch on 35400 ST MALO the website Dinner in Saint-Malo (7pm): where you can’t Le Borgnefesse (FRANCE) always see the 10, rue Puits aux Braies Tél. : +33 (0) “without added 02 99 40 05 05 2.99.20.22.20 insurance” rates. http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review- http://www.quic-en- g187104-d2211048-Reviews-Le_Borgnefesse- groigne.com/ Hotel: €119 Saint_Malo_Ille_et_Vilaine_Brittany.html (includes I had eaten at Le Borgenesse years ago and it was parking) just as wonderful as I remembered it. I had a delicious risotto with scallops (special). Be sure to reserve in advance.

I had also stayed at the Quic en Groigne years ago and was happy to return for the ideal intra-muros location. What I was not expecting is that the hotel has been completely renovated and yet is still a reasonable price. Breakfast is worth its price for the glassed-in courtyard breakfast room alone. The owners are extremely friendly (and especially friendly to Americans!) Don’t miss the historical photos in the lobby of the city post-WWII bombings.

Saturday, Saint-Malo – Ferry Saint-Malo to Round trip ferry: Direct Ferries Reference: DFP7995736 August Guernsey – Guernsey: (must arrive 60 €156.84 (Saint- Ferry Operator Reference: 6337495 23 Sark minutes ahead—ha ha, sort Malo-Guernsey) Map of Saint-Malo port: of a lie) + £55.60 (= €70) http://www.directferries.fr/st_malo.htm. There’s (Guernsey- easy parking by the ferry terminal, subsidized at only Depart: Sat 23 Aug @ 12:00 Sark) €5/day when you show your ferry ticket. Arrive: Sat 23 Aug @ 13:00 Map of Guernsey port: Hotel: £178 (= http://www.condorferries.co.uk/destinations/guernse Ferry Guernsey to Sark: €224) y-port.aspx. The two ferries are right near each (must arrive 30 minutes for 2 nights other, quite easy to find. ahead) Call with ferry questions: 01481724059 14:00 23/08/2014 Ferries depart from The Inter Island Quay at St Peter Port Harbour Hotel on Sark: Our Saint-Malo to Guernsey ferry was delayed, but The Aval du Creux the Sark ferry company let us delay to a later Sark Sark, GY10 ferry with no hassle whatsoever. It worked out well 1SB, Channel in the end because it allowed us a couple of hours to Islands, Great explore St Peter’s Port. I’m sure there’s more on Britain. Guernsey worth seeing, but after those two hours in Guerney’s “prettiest” town and the wonderful +44 (0) 1481 832036 experience we had on Sark, I’m not so anxious to get reception@avalducreu back to Guernsey. x.com www.avalducreux.com Dinner in Sark (7pm): Beau Séjour We got an incredible deal at Rue la Seignuerie the Aval du Creux because 07781446437 the restaurant was being http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review- renovated. It seems standard g186231-d4259709-Reviews-Beau_Sejour_Sark- on Sark (in part because of Sark_Channel_Islands.html the lack of streetlights, I Beau Séjour is an incredible dining experience—for imagine) that hotels come the local food, the friendliness of the staff and the with restaurants. Because setting in an historic home. It’s not cheap but really Aval du Creux had no not overly expensive for what it is. Definitely restaurant in Summer 2014, reserve well in advance. Remember that Sark has no we had to walk a ways to eat. streetlights—bring a flashlight with you to dinner or But we actually enjoyed it. you’ll find it very tricky finding your way back to We were able to try out the hotel after! And if you’re even slightly afraid of different hotels in the same the dark, it’s best to dine at your own hotel! network for (free) breakfasts and there were plenty of For hotels, assuming Aval du Creux is no longer a options for lunch and dinner good deal, I’d probably try The Stocks Hotel, La even a 5-minute walk away. Moinerie or La Sablonnerie (a bit more remote, on I imagine it will be just as Little Sark). But from what I saw, it would be hard pricey as all the others once to go wrong. All the hotels we saw and ate at on the the restaurant reopens island were beautiful. There are some cheaper (but though. It’s quite a nice hotel not cheap) B&B options as well. The hotels will ask though, and in a very what ferry you’re on and arrange for your luggage to convenient location right by be transported by tractor up from sea level to your the tractor-bus stop for the hotel. You pay the tractor-bus a minimal amount to ferry and only a 5-minute take you up to the town level. walk to the town center. It’s relatively modern (most of the other hotels in more historic buildings).

2 © Paris Weekender

Sunday, Sark Hotel on Sark: The Aval Explore Sark August du Creux We had a nice breakfast at Time & Tide (with our 24 Aval du Creux voucher) then set out on foot to explore the island. We started by heading to the iconic La Coupée, a narrow strip of land with 300- foot cliffs on each side that connects Big Sark to

Little Sark—yes, Sark is actually composed of two islands. We walked around Little Sark, then back to Big Sark and covered pretty much all the roads (all dirt) on the islands and some of smaller paths as well. There aren’t really coastal paths on Sark—the cliffs are too steep to allow access to sea level except in a few select places.

In the afternoon, we visited the gardens of the Seigneurerie (http://www.laseigneuriegardens.com/), where the Seigneur (benevolent dictator?) of the island resides. We had a very nice lunch at Hathaway’s at the entrance to the gardens.

If you’re a strong walker or want to rent a bike, one full day is enough time to explore Sark. Though that’s not to say you couldn’t spend a very nice few days or even week on Sark if your main objective is to unplug and relax. What we did not have time for was a visit to the Barclay brother’s private island of Brecqhou, whose gardens are open only to those staying at Barclay-owned hotels. Given the history of the Barclay’s influence on the island, I’m not sure we would have visited even had we had time.

We had dinner at the Hugo’s Bar & Bistro at the Dixcart Hotel—the food was not the best but the live music made it fun nonetheless. Monday, Sark – Ferry Sark to Guernsey: We had breakfast at La Moinerie (again, with our August Guernsey – 11:00 25/08/2014 voucher) as we wanted to see La Moinerie. We 25 Saint-Malo walked around the grounds a bit after breakfast— Ferry Guernsey to Saint- they have started growing grapes on Sark for wine, Malo: but the wine won’t be ready for a few more years. Depart: Mon 25 Aug @ 13:30 One note about the ferries: the ferries between Arrive: Mon 25 Aug @ Guernsey and Sark are not frequent, so book those 16:30 tickets first and then work backwards, buying the Saint-Malo-Guernsey tickets second. Remember that Sark is on UK time, an hour behind France.